My invention relates generally to swimming pools and to methods for constructing such pools. More particularly, the present invention is directed to an improved in-ground swimming pool construction of the vinyl liner type having the structural advantages of a concrete-walled pool but with the economic attributes of a liner pool.
Heretofore, in-ground swimming pools have been built in a variety of ways, ranging from very expensive constructions to those costing considerably less. Pools made of poured or gunned concrete, tile or concrete block are generally relatively expensive due to the high cost of materials and the intensive job-site labor required to build them. A considerable degree of high cost, skilled labor is also needed during the construction of these pools. Less expensive, in-ground pools are represented by the so-called vinyl-liner type which require considerably less time to build but are generally less durable than the aforementioned class. Liner leakage and wall collapse problems are not uncommon among such liner pools. A variety of complicated cross-bracing arrangements have been proposed to support the sidewalls of such liner pools so as to resist sidewall loading since wall loads can be very great under high ground water conditions. Exemplary of such cross-braced sidewalls are the liner pools disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,371,455 and 4,548,005.
Intermediate the expensive concrete designs and the less expensive vinyl liner constructions, are pools having various combinations of sidewalls and bottoms, such as the concrete backed fiberglass wall and concrete bottom construction disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,468,088. While this arrangement offers an excellent pool structure in terms of wall strength and durability, it also requires time-consuming labor in fitting the various components at the job site and requires a somewhat high degree of expertise in forming and finishing the concrete bottom. The required skilled labor for such concrete finishing is not always readily available. A concrete block, vinyl liner pool is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,419,916. Needless to say, these types of pools are relatively expensive to manufacture and install.
My invention solves many of the problems heretofore encountered in known swimming pool structures by providing a pool and method for constructing same, preferably of an in-ground type, which offers the wall strength of a concrete construction at far less cost. This is accomplished by providing a vinyl liner backed by a unique, but relatively inexpensive sidewall construction, including an integral footer and sill of poured, reinforced concrete.